To the Editor:—I have recently visited many European military hospitals, including first aid stations, clearing hospitals, and third line or base hospitals. In many places I have found American surgeons actively engaged and doing splendid service. In several large well-equipped hospitals the service is [ill]ight and many beds are empty. In such cases the surgical staff is for protracted periods more or less inactive.It is to be feared that at first men who had come from large hospitals in America, having enjoyed an active daily service normally, were surprised, not to say disappointed, to find time hanging heavily on their hands. This feeling was soon corrected and surgeons are now interesting themselves in the solution of problems of various types which are constantly developing.Briefly the military surgeon of today must be forewarned that war is not waged for the purpose of filling hospitals, and he must be